Briefs/world

BRIEFS/WORLD

Defending champion Lance Mackey pulled into the checkpoint at Nikolai on Tuesday just two days into the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race and said a fifth victory does not look promising.

According to the Iditarod's official Website, Mackey pulled into the checkpoint carrying two dogs in his sled, and had just put a third dog back in the team after carrying it for a ways. Mushers will carry dogs when they aren't pulling well so they don't slow down the team.

Mackey left the Nikolai checkpoint about 350 miles from Anchorage with a 12-dog team, considered small for this early in the 1,150-mile race to Nome. Mushers normally begin the race with 16-dog teams and must finish with at least six.

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Mackey was in third place Tuesday, behind Sebastian Schnuelle and four-time champion Martin Buser who was leading the race.

Mackey wasn't the only race-hardened veteran to be having trouble.

Buser lost valuable time when his dog team became entangled with Jamaican musher Newton Marshall's team. Five of Buser's dogs got loose. Another musher found three of the dogs and two trotted into the next checkpoint on their own, but the mishap cost Buser time as he waited for his dogs in the Rainy Pass checkpoint.

NFL

Tiki Barber ready to run

Four years after Tiki Barber walked away from football, he's planning a return. But it won't be with the Giants.

The former running back has filed paperwork to come out of retirement, but the Giants still hold his rights and Barber has two years remaining on his last contract with the team.

"We wish Tiki nothing but the best, and when we are able to make the transaction, we will release him from our reserve/retired list," the Giants said in a statement.

They'll have to wait until a new CBA is agreed upon before making that move.

Barber is the Giants' all-time leading rusher with 10,449 yards and 55 touchdowns, but he has not endeared himself to the franchise or fans of the team with comments made throughout his four years as a broadcaster that included knocks against Eli Manning and Tom Coughlin. At a Ring of Honor ceremony at New Meadowlands Stadium last fall, Barber was loudly booed.

Barber is 12th all-time with 15,632 yards from scrimmage, and his five 200-yard rushing games are second in NFL history, behind O.J. Simpson's six.

NBA

Kobe passes Moses

Kobe Bryant has passed Moses Malone for sixth place on the NBA's career scoring list.

Bryant passed Malone when he made three free throws with 2:05 remaining in the first half. He had 15 points in the first half.

Bryant has been shooting up the scoring list this season. He passed Malone one week after moving past Elvin Hayes for seventh. He also has topped the scoring totals of Hakeem Olajuwon, Oscar Robertson, Dominique Wilkins and John Havlicek this season.